Guide to visiting Alishan, Taiwan
The Alishan National Scenic Area is a mountain resort and natural preserve located in the mountains of Chiayi County in Taiwan.
One of the best way to get to Alishan is via:
– High Speed Rail (HSR) train to Chiayi Station. Trains depart hourly to/from Taipei. (NT1080, 90 mins)
– Comfortable buses from Chiayi to Alishan leave roughly hourly, take 1.5 hours costing NT$200 each. When you walk out of the HSR station, you can see white colour bus shelter. Purchase bus tickets from there. Bus schedule as seen below:
Note: The last bus to Alishan from Chaiyi is at 2PM. After that the only way to get to Alishan is by taxi which will cost $1600NT.
Buses to the home stay leave directly from the Chiayi High Speed Rail (HSR) Station, 3/day. Take a bus going in the direction of Alishan. Tell the bus driver you want to get off at Anding. It’s a small stop just before Siding/Xiding. Our homestay is directly across the street from the Anding stop, at marker 53.1km. From Chiayi HSR to Anding takes about 70 minutes. 
Accommodation: 53 Backpacker Inn.
Price: WeekdayNT$1800 (couple) + NT400 (extra person) All breakfast included.Rooms as seen below:
Its certainly one of the best choices of accommodation. Beside, you can take a leisurely slow hike along the tea plantation and witness spectacular scene of mountain gorges
The best part of Alshan is not at the mountain peak, but to witness the scene of Yun Hai (A sea of clouds below you). And you can witness such a scene, depending on your luck of course (best chances during sun rise and sun set time) at half way peak (53km mark).
Waking up from your cosy bed to a view as below. This is taken from the balcony of the home stay. You need not wake up early at 4am and rush up to the mountain to witness such. You can do so at the comfort of your room at 7am.
By the way, weather can be very cold at night falling to a low of 2 degree as it is 2700m above sea level. The friendly people living in the area has touched my heart. While waiting to take the public bus back to Chiayi HSR station, the owner was busy with customers. Another neighbour volunteered to bring us to the bus station which is 3 mins walk away. As one need to prepare exact change for the bus fare, she asked another neighbour who happened to walk past to help us change our big note to smaller notes.
Beside, the owners are friendly and its interior decor give a homely feeling. One can watch countless of DVDs and TV channels.
One can check out the variety of vegetables and fruits grown in the surrounding area. 
Categories: Asia Region
Hi Jaren, very nice post, thank you for posting. I am doing research of visiting to ALishan. May I now what would you recommend in Alishan, without too much of hiking, perhaps a slow walk with comfortable route will do. I see this backpacker place that you are staying, is quite nice, simple accomodation and when you walked out of the balcony, can see such beautiful view.
Hi Selina,
Thank you for your comment. Yes, you can stay at Alisan at this mid point stop. You can either book it through third party hotel search engine or see their website: http://www.seeding53.com/
Not really recommended to go all the way to the top where it is crowded with tourist. In fact, one can walk around this hostel. short hike will do, those pictures that you seen in my post. Very nice and get to mingle with the locals.
Enjoy! You can check out for more info such as taxi guide from my other Taiwan post, greatly recommended! Contact details are all there.
Thanks for the wonderful writeup.
Will be doing a similar trip as you, staying at the 53.1 Home Stay. I will leaving Taichung early morning on the HSR to Chiayi HSR. Would like to take the Alishan Shuttle Bus that departs straight from Chiayi HSR to Alishan at 1010.
Would like to ask in your experience is it usually crowded, the bus route. Will I have trouble getting the tickets since theres only 3 shuttles a day, Is there a way i can book beforehand.
Thanks!
Hi Walter,
There isn’t any trouble getting bus tickets when I was there.
Hi! Thank you for posting. I noticed that you stayed the night at Xiding area, I am planning to stay at 53.1 backpacker. Do you know if I can ride a bus going to Alishan from there? How much would be the fare?
Or do I need to go back to Shizhuo to ride a direct bus going to Alishan? Thanks again 😀
Hi Cindy,
Very inconvenient traveling by public transport. Each day, just 2 or 3 bus routes and only 2 or 3 buses of each route pass by 53.1 with the exception of Alishan buses which are slightly more. Even worse, often times the buses are completely full. And if you miss the last bus to 53.1, you have to go camping.
All buses pass by Shizhuo “石棹”. Better if you travel to Shizhuo 石棹 first then change buses elsewhere. There are more bus routes at Shizhuo 石棹 to FenChiHu 奮起湖 and elsewhere.
Hope that helps.
Cheers!
Jaren
Hi! Thank you for this post! We plan to stay at 53 Backpacker. Do you think it is doable if we go to Alishan National Scenic Area then go back to the inn? Are there available public buses? Your help is very appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Yong Spring,
Certainly it is do-able to get from 53 Backpacker to top of Alisan National Scenic Area as there are buses plying the route.
However, if you were to say in the early morning to catch the sunrise, it is not recommended as it will be dark outside in the wee hours. I was able to catch the sun rise from the comfort of the inn.
53 Backpacker is in the middle of the road up. There are many public buses, just let them know where you would want to alight. I did not venture up to the top as there were already many things to see around 53 Backpacker and could climb up a short hike up to see “Yun Hai” aka sea of clouds.
Have fun!
Hey there!
Great post!
We are thinking of staying at 53 Backpacker. Are there any restaurants/eating places nearby?
Hi Joan,
There is not much dinning choice. We settle our dinner at nearby cafe, also owned by 53 backpacker.
Cheers
TheGuyTravel
Hi! Great post! I’m going to Alishan on Jan, staying at 53 backpacker too. I would like to ask what time is the shuttle bus from 53 backpacker bback to Chiayi HSR station and how long does it take?
From Chiayi Main Station to Anding takes about 70 minutes. Bus will stop DIRECTLY outside the hostel, and it’s beside this “友提茶业“ (tea shop). Tell the driver you want to get off at Anding (it’s a very small stop just before Siding/Xiding).
Where to buy bus ticket if I want to travel by bus from 53.1 Minsu to Chiayi HSR station?
Hi Roger,
You just got to tell the Minsu people that you like to take a bus to Chiayi HSR. They would tell you when would be the next bus.
Just wait there and board the bus accordingly.
Cheers.
Hi,
Would like to ask if I travel from Chia Yi HSR to the homestay, does it only travel at 3 timings?
If I want to catch a more frequent bus, must I depart from ChiaYi Railway Station?
Hi Shin,
There are not many bus timings schedule which departs from Chia Yi HSR to homestay. Yes, you are right to say that catching from Chia Yi Railway station is better bet with more buses.
It will be good to enquiry on latest bus schedule from the friendly homestay owner.
Alternatively, you may refer to website below:
https://www.travelking.com.tw/eng/tourguide/alishan/transportation.asp
Hi,
THanks for the wonderful write up.
i will be taking the earliest HSR to Chiayi, any idea abt the bus to 53.1 backpacker timing? or i have to check at the ticket station when purchasing the ticket?
Hi Suzie,
It would be best to check out at the bus schedule when you arrive at the HSR station.
Otherwise it will be good to enquiry on latest bus schedule from the friendly homestay owner.
Alternatively, you may refer to website below:
https://www.travelking.com.tw/eng/tourguide/alishan/transportation.asp
Hope this helps!
Cheers
TheGuyTravel
Hello, we are thinking of taking the alishan forest railway up to fengqihu, and based on the schedule we only have a 2.40pm bus that goes to alishan from fenhqihu? does that bus pass by anding, cos we are intending to stay at 53.1 homestay and roughly how long is the journey? Do we need to buy tickets from chiayi train station first? Thank you!
Hi Audrina,
If you are intending to visit Fenhqihu, my suggestion is to take ask the 53.1 homestay owner to arrange a taxi (NT2,000 about SGD80. Pick up from Chayi HSR station along the way Fenhqihu then to the 53.1 homestay. Whole journey about 3.5 hours.
Cheers, happy travelling!
TheGuyTravel
Hi,what a great post you have!
I will travel to Taiwan this December and also staying at 53.1 Homestay
Is it possible if i go to 53.1 Homestay first from Chiayi HSR station(to put our luggage),then take public bus outside the homestay to Alishan National Park,and then come back to the homestay with the same route? Or is it better to go straight to Alishan then put our luggage in Alishan Visitor Center?(i heard they have luggage storage)
Thank you 🙂
Hi Elvira,
Certainly, I would recommend you to travel from Chiayi HSR station to 53.1 homestay. Put your luggage and you may head up to the top.
However, I did not do that as I took the route nearby which lead to higher ground. This is good enough to admire the scenery, many things to see nearby like the plantation and locals will gladly walk you around.
Cheers
TheGuyTravel
Hi,
We are planning to go to Alishan in April and would particularly like to experience riding the Alishan Forest Train. So from Taipei, we would take the HSR Train to Chiayi, then take the Alishan Forest Train to Fenchihu. Do you know how to reach the homestay in Anding from Fenchihu and what is the travel time?
Hi,
I did not took this route from Fenchihu to Anding.
The official accommodation website is now defunct. However, understand that the return bus from Alishan to Chiayi HSR Station departs at 1040, 1440 & 1640 hrs. You may inform the driver to alight you at 53.3 bus stop which is along the way back to Chiayi HSR.
Cheers
TheGuyTravel
hi, how much did it cost for the bus ride from Chiayi HSR station to Anding? Do you happen to have the bus number/operator & the time to board the bus? Thanks!
Hi Siti,
It takes 1.5 hours from Chiayi HSR station to Anding and cost NT$200 each as written in the post. Do note this was back in Feb 2015.
The bus number and schedule can be easily located when one exit from the Chiayi HSR station.
Cheers
TheGuyTravel
Hi, could you tell me how to book the 53 backpacker Inn? Which website should I go to? Thanks a lot
Hi Margaret,
Thank you for your comment. Yes, you can stay at Alisan at this mid point stop. You can either book it through third party hotel search engine or see their website: http://www.seeding53.com/
Cheers
TheGuyTravel